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Overnight in the Cotswolds

Reading Time: 15 minutes
The Cotswolds, England (Dec 2017)

The Cotswolds is a huge area in south central England, stretching over six counties. It is known for being very picturesque, with gently rolling hills, green meadows and historic villages, with buildings all made from the same style and pale coloured Cotswold stone.

Despite having spent so much time in England over my lifetime, I had never visited the Cotswolds, although have often heard people describe its charm and beauty. In December 2017 while on a holiday with the extended family in Poole, Dorset, I organised a mid-week trip to see what all the fuss is about. As the children didn’t want to come with us, preferring to stay in Poole with their grandparents and cousins, we had limited time. So I hatched a plan to visit the lower part of the Cotswolds for an overnight stay, then drive through Oxford back to Dorset the next day. Continue reading “Overnight in the Cotswolds”

A winter break in Madrid

Reading Time: 16 minutes
 Madrid, Spain (Jan 2018)

This was my first visit to Spain and I was excited to explore a new country, even if only for a few days. As usual I did my research before going, mainly browsing TripAdvisor, Pinterest and an Eyewitness Travel guide book: “Top10 Madrid”. I loosely planned an itinerary for 2 days in Madrid and left open an option for a day trip to another nearby town, like Toledo or Segovia.

We left our children with their grandparents in England as we were holidaying with the family there over the Christmas period. On New Year’s Day we caught an afternoon flight Continue reading “A winter break in Madrid”

Wine tasting in the Hunter Valley

Reading Time: 7 minutes
The Hunter Valley, NSW

Approximately two hours drive north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is situated inland in a country area surrounded by hills and fertile ground. It is most famous for its wineries, but there are other things to do and see in the region. Because it’s a short drive for us, we generally go for a day trip, usually with friends or relatives visiting from overseas or from other states. Though a word of caution, if you are planning on doing some wine tasting and don’t have a designated driver, stay overnight. The local police are known for setting up RBT units (random breath testing) on the main roads out at the end of a day. Don’t chance getting caught, or worse, don’t chance an accident.

For anyone planning a visit, you can take children as there are plenty of ‘kid friendly’ places. We generally prefer to leave ours at home, as our main purpose for visiting is wine tasting and they’d quickly get bored. Also, if you can go mid-week or a Friday it will be less busy at cellar doors so you’ll get a chance to chat with the staff & learn more about the wines. Plus accommodation will be cheaper during the week. Here are my other tips: Continue reading “Wine tasting in the Hunter Valley”

A work conference in Chicago

Reading Time: 6 minutes
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. (Feb 2016)

In 2016, I was invited through work to attend a conference in Chicago.  My Hubby (Steve) decided to tag along and we added some time before and afterwards to venture to some other cities (San Fran, Palm Springs and LA). Although there wasn’t a lot of time for sight-seeing in Chicago due to a fairly full conference schedule, I did manage to experience a few things outside our hotel, both as part of the conference and also during some free time with Steve.   Continue reading “A work conference in Chicago”